Tongs



Dec. v22, 1931. F. BARKls l 1,837,606

ToNGs Filed March 29. 1930 31h/vento@ Patented Dec. 22, 1931 UNITEDvSTATES t tenete v ,s

YFREDERICK IRA BARxrs, or benennen, oALpIFoRNrA TONGS Application filed`March 2S,

This invention Arelates to oil well apparatus, and particularly to animproved vform Vof tongs.

The present invention-presents many novel features over the conventionaltype of tongs.

The invention has vfor an object the provision of an improved form oftongs so constructed in such a manner that the gripping elements thereofmore positively engage the work than is usually the case with theconventional type of tongs now in use.

-Another object is the provision of a tongs `wherein the work is readilygripped when i the'tongs is moved in one direction and the.A Workreleased when the tongs is moved in a second direction.

Another object is to provide a tongs operating on a hydraulic principle.'i i Another object is the provision of atongs which is simple ofconstruction, positive in operation, and fool-proof. V

In practicing the invention, I have provided a tongs including the usualhead, an elongated handle associated therewith, which head carries oneor more swing gates whereby work maybe encompassed within the head, andjaws or grip members for engagement with the work. These jaws or gripmembers are urged into work engaging position through the mediuml Vofhydraulically operated pistons.V y

With the above named and other objects in Y view, the invention consistsinthe novel and Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure4,

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line i- 4 5o 0f Figure 3, and` Y.

211, this piston being received within the bore useful provision.formation, Constructiomas- 193e'.V4 semi No. 439,975.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 5-5of Figure 2. j 1

' Referring to the drawings, the tongs includes a handle a and a headZ). The head includes a segmental part 1 and a pair of co-vz-l operatinggates 2 and 3 hinged to said part 1.

ny conventional form -oflatc'h 4 may-be provided for locking the gatesin work relation.` These Y.gates `*are provided with-:seg-` mentalwork-receiving portions as is likewise j:.60 the part 1. The part lofthe head is providedwith one ormore spaced transverse bores. 'i v iReferring to Figure 2, a jaw arrangement is i described, it 'beingunderstoody that'the"65 I *same arrangement could be followed out forany'number 'ofjaws i The part lis transverselybored as shown at'5, and aseco-nd transverse bore 6l communicates with the Vbore 5. A jaw isshown' at .Tand this jaw isf' providedwith asegmental part Sp'rovidedwith an arcuate face 9,and this jaw carries a slit 10. Connected withthe jawis a piston 5. The piston-fis provided at its vvoilri'ngVendivwith a cup rubber or gasket 12.v The part 1 is recessed Vat 13 so astoaccommodate the normally maintained within the A`recesslf orthepositionv shown in' Figure 1,* whereinfit1"-80 will be ,notedthatthe-jaw j isout'iofgwrk I engagement, thepwork being indicated 'bydotted lines`r15.. This position is normally l maintained bv the meansillustrated in Figure'` 2, constituting a pin v16 passed'throughfi bores17. and 18 in the part 1 'secured'Y to the shank y,by screw-threads orotherwise,la s. indicated at 19. `Within thenbore1"('jand surrounding`the pin is a coil spring-2a In actual practice, I use upper and lowerAandolp-i positely arranged pins 16-in orderto hold j the .jaw inwhatmaybe termedaneutral position. This Vconstruction isshown in Fi gureAsstated. Imay provide any number,Y of jaws, although in the presentinstance,l.]A have provided two and Vcommunication,is afforded ,betweenboth transverse bores 6v by means'of piping 21. This piping maybe heldVwithin thek bores .in any suitable. manner,

iasA

such as by bra-zing or the like, as indicated in Figure 2, at'22. v

In the present instance, the' handle a is formed so as to hold a lengthofpiping 23, y

10 Forinstance, the handle is provided with Y two side wall portions`24"and 25 joined toV the head portion 1 and with an intermediateweb'26'between said side walls, the Aweb being` provided with twoupstand-ing `iange f members 27 and 28. Between these iiange mem- 27and'l28is placedthepiping The Y side walls 24 and 25 vand `theilanges 27and V-28 memerged together :atv 29. `The' part 29 bored at n30v and `thepiping 23 communi. '-20 cafes with said-boreas shovm at l3l; Within:said `bore 4is what may betermed -a ram vvor lpiston'32,theconstructi'onof whiclizis identicalgfor the piston lmembers for theaws. The1piston-32is providedV with a cup-shaped .rubber or :gasket 33and has connected there- Vwithxa push rod or stem 34 passed throughstuffing y'or gland nuts 35', one lof which nuts is screw-threaded tothe end `of the Ipart 29, as shown at 36. The stem 34 ispro'vided with,a head 37, one face of which is `curved as shown atf38. A clevis l39 isswingingly-car- .r-ied, asshown at 240, on the part 29 and this clevisis provided with aftransverse extension or cam 4l hav-fing =a curvedface 42. This 'curved .ace' .is adapted-for engagement with thecurvedface '38 of' the head 37.` UOne' :knuckle port-ion 430i theclevis` is provided 4with a segmentalset of teeth, forming a imv saidteethv is 'aspring actuated pawl 45.

' v .The operation, uses and advantages ofthe inventionVare-as follows:V Y Y l It is vfirst necessary to lill the tubes21 and iently donethrough the medium `of a gun at- 'while this ,is ,being donata@pin-,enea Wai vpistonsfll willfbe |in the position :shown in Ik"50`lIigure VThe springs 2() mustexert enough f ,pressure after theliquidhas. filled ythe tubes to .maintain Ithe jaws vout of workfengaging,relation or the position shown in Figurel. jerk or brake line isconnectedto the clevis asis usual practice. The ,gates 2 and `Bareopened toadmitfwork, such as the tubing shown at vl5, after which thegates may be latched together. When the jerk line is .the piston pin 34:inwardlyfwhich will v.push :thep'iston 32 and force the'liquid ahead ofY the same, causing the liquid toA become compressed v'and in turn exerta force against the pistons il. Wh'enthis occurs, thejaws will y `bemoved 'into work 'engagement and the ratchet 44 and adapted foreng-agement with 23fwith some iiquid and this may be conven- Y whenithec levis'ismoved,A tbe intheposlti-on shown "in Figure V4 'and the d'with a head yanda'handle joined thereto, of La! work engagingr aw`carrie/,d by said head,

f operated, the extension Al'will cam or move K' cluding, a handlefanobject engaging headv on the handle, afgripping member for engagharderthe jerk line pulls upon the clevis, the greater the pressure exerted.against the Y liquid, and as a consequence, the greater thel pressureof the aws against the work. When the jerk line or brake line isreleased, the jaws Vare urgedl into a neutral position or out of work`engagement through theY medium of springs 20 land 'the piston 32 -willtherefore move vvbackto the position shown in .Figure 4 because theliquid has been forced back 75 Vthrough vthe pipes or tubing 2l and 23by theV i .pistons 1l. However, it will be seen upon inspection ofFigure l that when the jerk or brake linemoves theclevis, the ratchetpawl i-'will engagey the teeth iliand will prevent 80 vthejaws fromfreleasing the work." Thus, it

will be 'necessary' to release 'the 1p awl romvt'lre ratchet teethbefore the jaws Amay bereleased from the'work. rIhe 'pawl 'may notbema'in'- tained in engagement with the ratche'tfunilessi 85 Y desiredbut oftentimes ater tubing hasbeen -screwedfto 1a coupling, it isnecessary Vtohave in'alcin'ch thereon 'an'din which instantie it isdesired that the j aws'be kept "in work engagementf v 3:90

The use of the cup'ruvbbers prevents leak-vr j age of iuid in thesealing portions and, fur-v thermore, itis evident that I have providedj what may l'be termedy an actuating piston,"be ing the piston 32, andoneor m'oreactuat'edifm pistons 11 for operating the' jaws. f It isohviousvthatvarious changes andmodifications and variations `may be madein practicing the inventionin depaiturefrom the particular showing of'the drawingsy withoutfaoo departing from the true'spiri't of thei=nvention.-

I claim: l

1. The combination in a tongsV provided with Va head and a handle joinedthereto, of"v a workiengaging jaw carried -by said head, {iuid actuatedmeans Afor movingrvsaid relative to the head, a fluid actuatingmeanslcarriediby the handle, handle bein-fg pro- .2. The combination inatongs` provided iiuid4 ractuated means for Y,moving Asaid, aw

rrelative-to the head, a lfluid actuating-means lcarried by the handle,said handle being provided with al clevis, means v'on said clevis.,adapted to move said fluid actuating meansd when the clevis is moved,and means for holding 'said clevis in a determined position.

3. A tool ofthe character described ining the object, and means foroperating the gripping member' including 'fluid pressure actuated meansfor moving the gripping member. 'a piston operable in' anope'ni-ng inthe handle to supply fiuid under pressure`- yvided with a clevis, andmeans on said clevis"wgllo ing, a handle, an object engaging head on thehandle, a gripping member for engaging the object, and means foroperating the gripping member including fluid pressure actuated meansfor moving the gripping member, a piston operable in an opening in the lhandle to supply fluid under pressure to said fluid pressure actuatedmeans, aclevis on the handle, a stem on the piston, and a cam on theclevis for cooperating with the stem to actuate the piston.

5. A tool-of the character described includ-l ing, a handle, an objectengaging head on the handle, a gripping member for engaging the object,means normally yieldingly holding the gripping member in an unactuatedposition, and means for actuating the gripping member including fluidpressure actuated means for moving the member, fluid pressure vactuatingmeans on the handle, a clevison the handle, and means on the clevis foractuating the fluid pressure actuating means.

6. A tool of the character described Vincluding, a handle, an objectengagingy head on the handle, a plurality of gripping members carried bythe head for engaging the object,

and means for operating the gripping members including a fluid pressureactuated means for moving each gripping member, a single cylinder andpiston fluid pressure actuating means carried by the handle, a clevis onthe handle, and cam means operatively connecting the clevis and the saidcylinder and piston means.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specication at LosAngeles,

California, this 27th day ofFebruary, 1930.

FREDERICK IRA BARKIS.

